Invasion Maps Are Large

Invasion maps are large out of necessity. There are twelve players
total, and they need the necessary space to be treated as 6 individual
teams. The space that a map must yield is twice that of a normal map,
because a full Game Play occurs in one half of the map for Tier 1 and
then the other half of the map for Tiers 2 and 3.

From an earlier lesson
we saw that the map is just one map, not two maps. But the map must be
designed with dimensions as though it were two separate maps. Tier 1
must be designed to allow a full scale invasion landing force to
establish its presence and breach the barrier
to the enemy strong hold. Tier 2 begins Game Play around the enemy
strong hold. Tier 1 must support 12 players up to but not beyond the
barrier. Tier 2 and Tier 3 again must support twelve players as well as a
neutral extraction point for the data core at the end of the Round.

Smaller maps tend to create confined areas or small play spaces,
creating the feeling that players are on top of each other continuously.
This has the effect of making for very fast paced game play, but it
also leads to a lot more deaths and less time for strategies to unfold.
At the other extreme, distances that are too large bore players as they
spend too much time traveling and not enough time engaging the enemy.

Distance is a Defenders' friend - it allows them time to setup a
defense. Distance also gives value to Forward Positions and make Bro
Spawning more critical for Invaders. These are valuable Invasion Game
Elements that a forger will want to emphasize by utilizing distances
through out the map.

The following list demonstrates Tier 1 distances that the Play List Maps
present to give some idea of what Bungie had in mind as reasonable
distances for an Invasion map.